February 2017

I feel like I’m in a really fun period of my life in some ways (ie, selfishly). At CrossFit 206, as the owner and a trainer, I worked hard not to judge myself for being definitely not the fittest person in the gym. I would have been miserable if I’d felt I needed to compete with my customers.

While not wanting to beat myself up, I also didn’t want to get too far out of shape. I did reasonably well. I maintained the discipline to work out several days a week with either barbells, CrossFit, or both. Despite being the gym owner, it would have been incredibly easy to fall off the habit of working out. What helped me maintain the discipline? Wanting to do what my customers did; wanting to be one of their peers; wanting to be able to talk about CrossFit from the inside and mean it; wanting to be a good example and an inspiration if I could be. I often literally pretended I was among a group of my trainees when I worked out by myself.

Deciding to close the gym, I started to worry about really getting soft. As easy as it would have been to fall off the workout wagon while I owned a gym, it seemed it would be even easier not to work out once I was really on my own.

On the very first Monday after I closed, Feb. 13, I went at noon to another local CrossFit and worked out with them. It was so much fun! I was SO thankful I wasn’t the teacher. One week later, I’ve now had three workouts at other people’s gyms: two at CrossFit RE and one at Columbia City Fitness/Jackson. I now see. Working out is nothing to be scared of. The trainer’s job is to tell you what to do. You just have to make an effort to do it. It’s up to you whether to try hard or slack off. That’s all. One thing at a time, one moment at a time. Then you’re done.

I am now a lot less worried about getting soft. In fact, I think I have a good chance of getting into better shape than I’ve been since 2010 when we opened!

Today at Bull Stewart’s Columbia City Fitness/Jackson, the workout class was as follows, with just me and Bill in attendance. It will be fun on Wednesday when the others are there.

Back squat 2 sets 5 at 200

Have to get used to someone RIGHT BEHIND ME yelling (“easy weight! Easy weight! Piece of cake! Yeah girl!”) and ready to spot me. Disconcerting at first!

25 to 30 lb dumbbell muscle cleans to push press onto toes

10 lb dumbbell triceps kickbacks

Something else with dumbbells

Upstairs on floor or machines:

Three rounds

Side plank cable pulls, rowing style unilateral

Two arm supine cable pulls with leg raise, similar to toes to bar

Three rounds

Triceps pull downs with handle and with rope

Machine shoulder presses two positions

Leg press

Three or four floor abs things

Stretching

This was a lot of fun because the trainers who worked with us — Bull’s son Hakeem, teammate Asuba, and Bull — were so engaged and nice and positive. They always are.